100 years ago in Spokane: Radio communication heralded on arrival in Inland Northwest

An innovative “wireless” form of communication – radio – was coming to the Inland Northwest.

However, it was not broadcast radio – that was still in the future. It was a form of wireless telephone, with signals sent via radio waves.

The Spokane Radio Telephone & Telegraph Co. was proposing to provide wireless telephone and telegraph service to remote farms and ranches, where wired telephone service was not available or too expensive.

The Spokane Daily Chronicle realized this was an important technological advance. A front-page story noted the formation of the company “marks the beginning of radio development in the Northwest.”

From the “throw-a-Shriner-off-a bridge” beat: Peter Kyrik, 43, was arrested as an insanity suspect when he took it upon himself to direct traffic over the Monroe Street bridge.

This bizarre attempt at impromptu traffic control took a dangerous turn when a Shriner, in town for a convention, ignored one of Kyrik’s commands. This apparently enraged Kyrik, who then attempted to throw the Shriner over the railing and off the bridge.

Bystanders intervened and restrained Kyrik until police arrived.

As it turned out, Kyrik had been arrested earlier as an insanity suspect, but released a week before when a judge ruled him to be sane. Now he was being held once again for the same reason.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1989: A sharply divided Supreme Court ruled that burning the American flag as a form of political protest was protected by the First Amendment.